Night Off

Night Off
Sire	Narrator
Grandsire	Nearco
Dam	Persuader
Damsire	Petition
Sex	Mare
Foaled	1962
Country	Ireland
Colour	Bay
Breeder	Major Lionel Brook Holliday
Owner	Lionel Holliday
Trainer	Walter Wharton
Record	8: 2-1-0
Major wins
Cheveley Park Stakes (1964) 1000 Guineas (1965)
Awards
Top-rated British two-year-old filly (1964) Timeform rating 124 in 1964, 113 in 1965

Night Off (1962 – after 1978) was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare best known for winning the classic 1000 Guineas in 1965. Despite running only twice in 1964 she was the top-rated filly in Britain after a win in the Cheveley Park Stakes. After recovering from illness to win the 1000 Guineas in April 1965 her form deteriorated, with a second place at Royal Ascot being her only notable performance in five subsequent races. She had some success as a broodmare, despite producing only five foals.

Background

Night Off was a bay mare with no white markings^[1] bred by her owner, Major Lionel Brook Holliday at his Cleaboy stud in County Westmeath. Holliday sent the filly to his private La Grange stable at Newmarket, Suffolk where she was trained by Walter Wharton.^[2]

Night Off was the most notable racehorse sired by Holliday's stallion Narrator, who won the Champion Stakes and the Coronation Cup for his owner in the mid 1950s. Her dam, Persuader, won five races including the 1956 Horris Hill Stakes, and produced several other winners including Night Off's full brother No Argument. Persuader's dam Palma Rosa, was a French-bred mare bought by Holliday from Marcel Boussac for 10,500 guineas.^[3]

Racing career

1964: two-year-old season

Night Off made her first racecourse appearance at Newmarket Racecourse in August when she finished second in the Prendergast Stakes.^[3] At the same course in late September she was moved up in class to contest the Cheveley Park Stakes, Britain's most prestigious race for two-year-old fillies. Ridden by Joe Mercer she started at odds of 20/1 and won from the odds-on favourite Fall In Love with Greengage in third place.^[4] In the Free Handicap, a rating of the best two-year-olds to have raced in Britain that year, she was the top-rated filly, nine pounds behind the leading colt Double Jump.^[5]

1965: three-year-old season

In the spring of 1965, Night Off was one of many British horses to be affected by a respiratory infection which disrupted her training. Despite her problems she recovered sufficiently to contest the 1000 Guineas over the Rowley Mile course at Newmarket on 29 April. The filly was ridden by the Australian jockey Bill Williamson and started the 9/2 favourite in a field of sixteen. Night Off won the classic by a neck from Yami, with Mabel three lengths away in third.^[3] Night Off was then aimed at the Oaks, but when tried over ten furlongs in the Musidora Stakes at York Racecourse she finished unplaced behind Arctic Melody. On 21 May, Night Off was withdrawn from the Oaks by Holliday who thought she had been drugged or poisoned, stating that the filly was "in a terrible state, almost dead."^[6] A drug test was administered by the Jockey Club but was negative.^[7]

In June Night Off was brought back in distance for the Coronation Stakes over a mile at Royal Ascot. She looked the likely winner in the straight but was caught on the line and beaten a short head by Greengage.^[8] Her form then tailed off and she ran poorly in her three remaining races before being retired at the end of the year.^[3]

Assessment

The independent Timeform organisation awarded Night Off a rating of 124 in 1964, making her one of the highest rated two-year-old fillies in Europe. In 1965, however, she was given a rating of 113, one of the lowest ever given to a classic winner, and thirteen pounds behind the top-rated three-year-old filly Aunt Edith.^[5] In their book A Century of Champions, based on a modified version of the Timeform system John Randall and Tony Morris rated Night Off a “poor” winner of the 1000 Guineas.^[9]

Stud career

Night Off produced only five foals in twelve years at stud, but three of them were winners. The best of her progeny was the filly Madame's Share (sired by Major Portion) who won Prix d'Astarte in 1971. Another of her daughters, Sweet Relations, produced Montekin, winner of the 1983 Waterford Crystal Mile. Her son Baldur, (by Breton), showed promise as a two-year-old in 1974 when he finished third to Grundy in the Dewhurst Stakes but he did not go on to any major successes.^[10]

Pedigree

Pedigree of Night Off (IRE), bay mare, 1962^[11]
Sire Narrator (GB) 1951	Nearco (ITY) 1935	Pharos	Phalaris
		Pharos	Scapa Flow
		Nogara	Havresac
		Nogara	Catnip
	Phase (GB) 1939	Windsor Lad	Blandford
		Windsor Lad	Resplendent
		Lost Soul	Solario
		Lost Soul	Orlass
Dam Persuader (GB) 1954	Petition (GB) 1944	Fair Trial	Fairway
		Fair Trial	Lady Juror
		Art Paper	Artist's Proof
		Art Paper	Quire
	Palma Rosa (GB) 1951	Mahmoud	Blenheim
		Mahmoud	Mah Mahal
		Tsianina	Asterus
		Tsianina	Merry Girl (Family: 16-g)^[12]

References

↑ "Night Off photo". sporthorse-data.com. Retrieved 2013-06-05.
↑ "La Grange Stables – History". Edunlop.com. Retrieved 2013-05-23.
1 2 3 4 Mortimer, Roger; Onslow, Richard; Willett, Peter (1978). Biographical Encyclopedia of British Flat Racing. Macdonald and Jane’s. ISBN 0-354-08536-0.
↑ "Night Off for the nap". Evening Times. 28 April 1965. Retrieved 2013-06-05.
1 2 Morris, Tony; Randall, John (1990). Horse Racing: Records, Facts, Champions (Third Edition). Guinness Publishing. ISBN 0-85112-902-1.
↑ UPI (May 21, 1965). "Choice in England Scratched Amid Charges of Drugging". The New York Times. p. 25. |access-date= requires |url= (help)
↑ Staff (Monday, May 24, 1965; pg. 5; Issue 56329; col A). "Market Best Guide After Derby Trials". The Times. Check date values in: |date= (help); |access-date= requires |url= (help)
↑ "Harkaway" (17 June 1965). "Sticky going suits Casabianca". Glasgow Herald. Retrieved 2013-06-05.
↑ Morris, Tony; Randall, John (1999). A Century of Champions. Portway Press,. ISBN 978-1-901570-15-1.
↑ Timeform (1984). Racehorses of 1983. Timeform. ISBN 0-900-59940-5.
↑ "Night Off pedigree". equineline.com. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2013-06-05.
↑ "Polly Agnes - Family 16-g". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Retrieved 2013-06-05.

1000 Guineas winners

1814 Charlotte 1815 Filly by Selim 1816 Rhoda 1817 Neva 1818 Corinne 1819 Catgut 1820 Rowena 1821 Zeal 1822 Whizgig 1823 Zinc 1824 Cobweb 1825 Tontine 1826 Problem 1827 Arab 1828 Zoe 1829 Young Mouse 1830 Charlotte West 1831 Galantine 1832 Galata 1833 Tarantella 1834 May-day 1835 Preserve 1836 Destiny 1837 Chapeau d'Espagne 1838 Barcarolle 1839 Cara 1840 Crucifix ‡ 1841 Potentia 1842 Firebrand 1843 Extempore 1844 Sorella 1845 Pic-nic 1846 Mendicant 1847 Clementine 1848 Canezou 1849 The Flea 1850 Lady Orford 1851 Aphrodite 1852 Kate 1853 Mentmore Lass 1854 Virago 1855 Habena 1856 Manganese 1857 Imperieuse 1858 Governess 1859 Mayonaise 1860 Sagitta 1861 Nemesis 1862 Hurricane 1863 Lady Augusta 1864 Tomato 1865 Siberia 1866 Repulse 1867 Achievement 1868 Formosa ₩ ‡ 1869 Scottish Queen 1870 Hester 1871 Hannah ₩ 1872 Reine 1873 Cecilia 1874 Apology ₩ 1875 Spinaway 1876 Camelia 1877 Belphoebe 1878 Pilgrimage 1879 Wheel of Fortune 1880 Elizabeth 1881 Thebais 1882 St Marguerite 1883 Hauteur 1884 Busybody 1885 Farewell 1886 Miss Jummy 1887 Reve d'Or 1888 Briarroot 1889 Minthe 1890 Semolina 1891 Mimi 1892 La Fleche ₩ 1893 Siffleuse 1894 Amiable 1895 Galeottia 1896 Thais 1897 Chelandry 1898 Nun Nicer 1899 Sibola 1900 Winifreda 1901 Aida 1902 Sceptre ₩ ‡ 1903 Quintessence 1904 Pretty Polly ₩ 1905 Cherry Lass 1906 Flair 1907 Witch Elm 1908 Rhodora 1909 Electra 1910 Winkipop 1911 Atmah 1912 Tagalie 1913 Jest 1914 Princess Dorrie 1915 Vaucluse 1916 Canyon 1917 Diadem 1918 Ferry 1919 Roseway 1920 Cinna 1921 Bettina 1922 Silver Urn 1923 Tranquil 1924 Plack 1925 Saucy Sue 1926 Pillion 1927 Cresta Run 1928 Scuttle 1929 Taj Mah 1930 Fair Isle 1931 Four Course 1932 Kandy 1933 Brown Betty 1934 Campanula 1935 Mesa 1936 Tide-way 1937 Exhibitionnist 1938 Rockfel 1939 Galatea II 1940 Godiva 1941 Dancing Time 1942 Sun Chariot ₩ 1943 Herringbone 1944 Picture Play 1945 Sun Stream 1946 Hypericum 1947 Imprudence 1948 Queenpot 1949 Musidora 1950 Camaree 1951 Belle of All 1952 Zabara 1953 Happy Laughter 1954 Festoon 1955 Meld ₩ 1956 Honeylight 1957 Rose Royale 1958 Bella Paola 1959 Petite Etoile 1960 Never Too Late 1961 Sweet Solera 1962 Abermaid 1963 Hula Dancer 1964 Pourparler 1965 Night Off 1966 Glad Rags 1967 Fleet 1968 Caergwrle 1969 Full Dress 1970 Humble Duty 1971 Altesse Royale 1972 Waterloo 1973 Mysterious 1974 Highclere 1975 Nocturnal Spree 1976 Flying Water 1977 Mrs McArdy 1978 Enstone Spark 1979 One in a Million 1980 Quick As Lightning 1981 Fairy Footsteps 1982 On The House 1983 Ma Biche 1984 Pebbles 1985 Oh So Sharp ₩ 1986 Midway Lady 1987 Miesque 1988 Ravinella 1989 Musical Bliss 1990 Salsabil 1991 Shadayid 1992 Hatoof 1993 Sayyedati 1994 Las Meninas 1995 Harayir 1996 Bosra Sham 1997 Sleepytime 1998 Cape Verdi 1999 Wince 2000 Lahan 2001 Ameerat 2002 Kazzia 2003 Russian Rhythm 2004 Attraction 2005 Virginia Waters 2006 Speciosa 2007 Finsceal Beo 2008 Natagora 2009 Ghanaati 2010 Special Duty 2011 Blue Bunting 2012 Homecoming Queen 2013 Sky Lantern 2014 Miss France 2015 Legatissimo

Legend - ₩ = Fillies Triple Crown winners, † = Epsom Derby winners, ‡ = 2000 Guineas Stakes winners

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